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Shropshire hamlet, 5 miles NE of Church Stretton.
William Leighton (active 1603-1614), the composer and poet, lived at Plaish Hall. It is one of the earliest examples of a brick built house in the county, built for his father, also named William, who was a Chief Justice. Legend has it that he employed a man whom he had previously condemned to death to build the fine ornate chimneys, with the promise of freedom if the chimneys proved to be the finest in Shropshire. Not surprisingly the prisoner kept his side of the bargain, built the beautifully ornate and twisted chimneys and was hanged for his pains by order of the untrustworthy Chief Justice Leighton. The more lurid versions of the story claim that he was hanged from one of the chimneys but whether this is true or not his ghost is said to haunt Plaish Hall to this day. The infamous judge incidentally lies in Cardington Church a mile or two from Plaish - the tomb has a life size effigy of the Chief Justice lying stiffly on his side and one cannot but hope that he is as uncomfortable as he looks!
Location map of Plaish courtesy of Streetmap.co.uk
Page created 1 October 2002 and last updated
8 October 2002
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